


Dying Selfishly

by 1Reverent1



Category: Dead by Daylight (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, Fluff and Humor, Gen, M/M, Mild Gore, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:55:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28708533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1Reverent1/pseuds/1Reverent1
Summary: Alright so I tried to resist the urge, but I've gotten into my horror/slasher kick and just reading wasn't enough to satiate me. So now! You unfortunate bastards get to have thisWatch as I pit my own ocs into the world of Dead by Daylight, paired off with a killer of their own. This is entirely self-indulgent as well so enjoy however you may lol
Relationships: Herman Carter | The Doctor/Original Character(s), Kazan Yamaoka | The Oni/Original Female Character(s), Philip Ojomo | The Wraith/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. ➊Oblivious [Wraith×Nolan]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If ANY of you have read any of my other series, then you may recognize some characters but, that's only because these are like,, general ocs I use for pretty much everything LOL
> 
> Also I'm going to try and stay accurate to the..ugly side of the time, but I'm still gonna keep it relatively tame
> 
> EDIT 1/12/21: Okay so I wanted to rewrite this a bit because I just got around to reading/watching the stuff about the Wraith from the archives/tomes in dbd and I aim to try and get these little stories as accurate as possible to canon, even though they're silly and whatnot LOL

The year was 1986.

A number of immigrants sought new life and new opportunity in the independent land of America. None moreso than a certain Philip Ojomo.

When he first came here, it took a considerable amount of time for him to get adjusted. Not only was learning an entirely new language a struggle, but also getting used to new customs and finding a job was hard on him as well. But he wouldn't be wasting this opportunity. He had saved up every last penny he could find in order to get himself here. He had nothing left back home..no family..no village..no life. Nothing, except the blood on his hands and an old bell in his arms. 

He was lucky enough to land a job at the unkempt Autohaven Wreckers, and his superiors didn't let him forget it. _Lucky_. That's it. Sure the men were nothing more than shady and foul lowlifes, eager to scratch their dick at any passing skirt, but they didn't give him _too_ hard of a time so he couldn't complain. It used to be far worse. Due to his race and his old bodily scars, slurs were far uglier and they wouldn't disguise their little insults. Some days they would toss his lunch into a barrel of oil and others they would try to trick him into doing something that may get him fired. Nonetheless, Philip forced himself to bite his tongue, for his own sake and fear at not being able to find anything better. Luckily, as weeks turned to months, the men got used to him. Instead of slurs or ugly bets, they might occasionally drag him into a card game to settle a score or share a story or two. They were forced to get used to his presence, and slowly, his masked rage thankfully dissipated. He hadn't felt such anger since he was a boy and he wanted it to stay that way. So now with his work days just a little calmer, Philip would continue working. 

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

It wasn't until the summer of that following year did Philip get the chance to meet _him._

It wasn't a particularly remarkable day, the young man had his head buried halfway deep into an engine when one of the men whistled at him. "Ey Phil!! Get yer ass over here and check out the new dame!" Phillip hid a groan under his breath as he straightened up and wiped his hands off on the rag pocketed in his coveralls. "Jason, can't this wait..? I'm..a bit busy here." The gruff man simply scoffed and rolled his eyes, turning and waving his hand for Philip to follow him anyways. "And what, you got somethin' better to do?! At least _one_ of these sluts oughta get yer attention." With no room to argue, Philip resigned himself to follow and stopped with Jason, as well as 2 others who were crouched behind the corner of the garage, to watch whatever was going on. Philip internally grimaced, as all of this 'sneaking around' just made him feel dirtier, but his thoughts were quickly silenced when Jason grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and shoved him forward to watch along with them.

Philip simply submitted to his fate as he peered around the corner, realizing that the guys were staring at Azarov's office and the main reception area near the entrance. From there he could see two figures(the bigger one unmistakably his boss) in the window move to the door and exit. The men around him were quick to whistle and begin making their filthy comments at who walked out, but Philip was deaf to it all. His jaw slackened as he watched the figure walk out alongside his boss, the two of them still deep in some conversation.

Her hair was long and pale, golden like wheat. Her skin was fair, she was tall and lanky, and wore clothes much too clean for a rank place such as this. As Philip eyed over her face without realizing it, the 3 other men with him took notice of his ogling and snickered to each other, seemingly amused that reserved little Philip finally saw someone he was attracted to. However, when they realized that their boss was starting to head towards their garage, the men quickly shuffled back to their work, leaving Philip to stagger back as Azarov came barreling in with the new woman in tow. The boss casted a quick glare at his lackey for 'slacking off', but his lecture would have to wait. He currently had a customer to deal with. "A'right everyone, listen up. This here is our new client, Ms.Dupont. She's got a scooter or somethin' that needs fixing up and she's paying well, so I need my BEST men on the job, got it?"

Everyone nodded along, including Philip, but honestly he couldn't have paid attention any less. Now that this 'Dupont' person was closer, he could really take in the sight. The name was foreign- he recognized that much at least -and she dressed..differently. For starters, she wore dress shoes, plaid dress pants, and a loose button-up shirt that had been tucked into her waistline. He didn't really see women dress up in pants too often near this side of town, but it wasn't uncommon. He still thought she was beautiful nonetheless..but he quickly realized that Dupont must've noticed his staring, and the beauty flahsed him a smile which only resulted in him averting his eyes. Most of the time someone might just stare or avert their eyes in shame at his scars, but not her. The stranger merely hid a soft chuckle behind her hand, a fond laugh and not a mocking one, just as Azarov had finished, and after wheeling in her moped, Philip blinked back once he realized she was leaving already.

His chest tightened at the thought of never seeing her again and he stumbled forward to try and follow, but was stopped by Azarov's large hand slapping against his chest. "And where do you think YOU'RE going?? Don't think I didn't notice you slackin' off when I walked in here Ojomo, you ain't leaving this garage until you fix every old motor in here!!" Phillip knew better than to protest, but that didn't stop him from fidgeting nervously on the balls of his feet as he watched the back of Dupont heading towards the exit. He didn't want to miss out on his chance to talk with her again but..Azarov was hard to argue against.

"Eh, the kid's fine. He actually just finished that ol' engine in row 3, didn't ya Phil?" Phillip turned his head over to Jason, who was currently leaning up against the car _he_ had been working on earlier. "Shouldn't be a problem to let him get a piece of ass at least once ey?" The men around him either snickered or made taunting howls before Azarov rolled his eyes and stepped aside. "Fine.. But when you get back, that means you'll be starting your shift on the compactor." Phillip nodded eagerly and, now that he was free for the moment, he instantly burst out of the garage to go follow after the stranger.

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

The blond stranger had just stepped through the exit by the time Philip caught up, hardly out of breath since it was only a quick jog. The woman turned curiously and, upon seeing that it was Philip, smiled warmly and greeted him. "Hallo. Did you need something?" There was a lilt in their voice that gave away the hint of a French accent, and while it was certainly light and perfect, Philip couldn't shake the feeling that it just didn't sound _entirely_ feminine. "A-Ah yes well..uh.." Now that he was actually here, what could he say? He never really got out much other than his job, so it was rare for him to find such a deep attraction to another. And even still, the fact that she wasn't shying away from his physical imperfections only added to his flustered behavior. He needed to make some kind of excuse and quick.

"You uh.." He fished through his pockets for anything at all and pulled out his dirty rag from before. He wouldn't DARE think of ever giving something so stained of oil and sweat to such a nice looking lady, but it was the only thing he had that wasn't a tool or bolt. "Y-You..dropped this." Dupont cocked her head as she took the rag and looked it over, arching a brow back at Philip which forced him to duck his head shyly. "S-Sorry it's just..you're v-very....very beautiful."

Dupont's eyes lit up and a faint rosy color dusted her cheeks, that warm smile returning. "Ah, I see. Thank you..you're a very handsome man too but, I must warn you. I am not a woman." At this, Philip immediately looked up with wide eyes, but Dupont merely chuckled. "I just..look this way, but my name is Nolan. Nolan Dupont. Everyone here simply thinks I am a woman with this long hair, but it would just cause too much trouble to correct them."

Nolan set the rag back into Philip's hands with a nod and a kind pat. "So thank you but..you would not want to pursue me." As he turned to leave once more, his fingers now stained with grease, Philip again lurched forward. "W-Wait!!" Nolan stopped for him again and turned, curious but now there was a sense of caution held in his stance. As if he was bracing for the worst but was still open to whatever Philip had to say.

The young man swallowed as he fiddled with the rag now back in his hands. "I..I don't know how to feel. But..I do know that you're still very pretty. A-And you seem..r-really nice and smart. S-So, if you'd like, I would...uh..like to see you a-again.." Nolan blinked, clearly not expecting this sort of reaction, but he quickly calmed his expression into one of bashful glee. Stepping forward, he took a pen out from the front pocket on the mechanic's overalls and a scrap of paper from his own pocket and scribbled down his number, tucking both back into Philip's chest pocket. "Call me and maybe we can plan for that~" Phillip's face was burning at this point and Nolan chuckled softly once more, waving a sweet farewell. "Don't keep me waiting long, car boy." And with that, he was gone.

Despite Nolan being long gone, Phillip's face was still on fire as if he were still standing right in front of him. So that woman..was in reality a man. Sure it might've surprised him a bit at first but, Philip wouldn't deny that his attraction had still remained the same even after the fact. He could sort through his newfound sexuality later, for now all he cared about was whenever he got the chance to see Nolan again.

As he made his way back to the garage, Philip was greeted with plenty of hands either ruffling his hair or slapping his back as the men hooted and hollered for him. Apparently they had all seen the exchange go down and, for someone as reserved and 'butt-ass ugly' as Philip, they were all laughing as if he were one of their own who scored that date. Philip allowed himself to bask in this little victory for now, though he wouldn't tell any of the men about Nolan's true identity. When he finally managed to scurry away, his footsteps leading him towards the control of the car compactor, Philip would allow himself to **hope** , something he hadn't done in a long, longe time.


	2. ➋Oblivious [Wraith×Nolan]

The wind whistled solemnly amidst that cold, desolate night.

Nighttime was usually a moderate neutral ground in terms of temperature. Not too cold, not too hot.

But not tonight...tonight the Wraith was unbearably cold. In fact some may say he was paralyzed by it.

He didn't think he would EVER see _him_ again. Not here..not in a place like this. Not when...he looked so **horrid.**

He had caught a glimpse of sweet, beautiful Nolan amidst a trial, and he was so ashamed and frightened of having to confront him that he avoided the boy the entire time. His shame lashed out in vile, disgusting ways on the other survivors, but never Nolan. Not once or ever would he allow himself to harm a hair on that boy's head.

The Wraith understood why he had to suffer in this eternal damnation. He had been vengeful, enraged..unhinged. But Nolan didn't deserve this..he was too pure, too good and important. Why did the Entity bring him here? Was it just another cruel punishment? Did he do something wrong or fail somehow in the Entity's all-seeing eyes?

Regardless, when that trial finally ended, the Wraith huddled silently to himself in the vacant husks of cars. His legs were tucked up tightly against his body and he had cloaked himself, his thoughts racing with memories that he never thought he would return to.

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

That night, the same one where he got his first number, he ended up calling Nolan. Sure maybe it looked a little desperate but..he just couldn't contain his excitement. Thankfully Nolan was receptive to the call and even thrilled by it. "You surprised me, car boy. I didn't think you were the type to..well..give someone like me the time of day." He chuckled but, even through the phone, Philip could tell it was just a bit forced. As if he had lived through such rejection one too many times.

"O-Oh no way!! How could anyone ever forget someone like you? And uh..it's Philip. Philip Ojomo." He couldn't see it, but Nolan was smiling over on his end at the sound of his name. "Philip.. What a beautiful sounding name~" The poor mechanic nearly melted through the floor right then and there. But luckily he had a landline, and so was forced to stay upright.

"So um..would you? I mean..I don't know what you do for work but, whenever you..ah." God this was so hard. Philip didn't exactly get the chance in his childhood to do frivolous things like flirt or have a first date, so all of this was incredibly new to him. Luckily Nolan was much smoother _and_ much more well-versed in this sort of thing to catch onto his meaning.

"Hmm..well I am free on Monday, Wednesday evening, and Friday. Do any of those days work for you?" Philip gripped the phone and leaned back as best he could to look at the little calender he kept on his counter. He didn't want to just drop the phone so, over on Nolan's end, he would hear clattering and a few muffled curses before Philip came back, panting to the line. "Yeah..gh sorry..y-yeah I'm good for Friday! Is around noon alright with you?" The lonely mechanic could feel his heart soar at the sound of that melodious laughter once again. Oh what he would do to hear that laugh more.. "That's perfect~ I'll meet you at the bus stop near Autohaven, fair?" "Yes!! That's fair."

And things would only get better from there.

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

At least..that's what Philip had hoped.

He would go on his first date with Nolan, though the only stares they got were at his own scarred appearance. Nobody gave them problems over Nolan's gender, because as the man himself had said, his appearance made everyone assume otherwise. Philip feared that conversation would become awkward or stagnant with him around, but surprisingly, it never once stilled. The two could talk about anything and everything together and Philip got to hear more of Nolan's delightful laugh.

And so they would go on a second date...and a third...and a fourth..and so on.

It all felt so right. So perfect. Philip..was happy.

..so why did Azarov have to go and ruin it?

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

The day Azarov revealed to him that he was nothing more than an executioner for their slimy greed, he was reminded all too painfully of the bloody mayhem he had back home.

The devil's men..they slaughtered for money and were like wild dogs with no remorse. Staring at Azarov that day, all Philip saw were those disgusting mercenaries he had faced back home and his vision flooded with red. A rage he hadn't felt since he was a boy resurfaced within his adult body, and he lost himself.

With his boss's skull and spine still held tightly in his grip, Philip would run from Autohaven and hide behind a garbage container in an alleyway. The oncoming rain did well to wash away the blood on his hands, but as Philip kept his knees tight against his chest and that maimed skull in his grip...he had enough sense to realize he was horrified.

He foolishly thought he had gotten better.. that job and this new life made him naívely believe everything was different when in reality, nothing had changed. He was still that angry, vengeful boy who was forced to watch the people he loved get taken away. He..he needed to run. But where would he go? He was still in a foreign land and Philip had never traveled far into the city, let alone away from it. He had no one here, nobody except..Nolan.

But..oh no no, he couldn't run to Nolan like this. He would scare him away. Nolan would run away and maybe even call the police. But..he wanted nothing more then to fall into that boy's arms right now and let him tell him that everything was going to be alright. But reality didn't work as smoothly as that, and as the rain seeped into his bones, he knew he couldn't stay here. Someone would find Azarov's body in the compactor and realize that he was missing, and it wouldn't be long until the police were on his tail. So, with shaky legs, Philip disappeared into the shadows of the grimy streets and would make his way to Nolan's house.

⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

The French boy in question was blind to the horrors that had happened today. He was calmly sipping on some coffee as he read through a new tabloid in his kitchen. He didn't have work today and contemplated seeing Philip, but he would have to wait until his beloved was done with his own shift. As if his thoughts were heard and answered, frantic knocking could be heard on his back door. Just as Nolan stood, Philip's muffled voice could be heard on the other side. "..N-Nolan? Are you there!?" The panic in Philip's tone made his anxiety spike as Nolan approached the door, hand on the doorknob. "Philip?? What..What are you doing off work, what happened?"

As he tried to open the door, Philip frantically grabbed his side of the doorknob and yanked it shut. "NO!! You can't see me!!" If everything else hadn't worried him before, this was _definitely_ freaking out Nolan now. "Wh.. Philip what do you mean?! Are you hurt? Why can't I-" He yanked on the door again, to no avail. "-see you??" "I just..needed to hear you again.."

"Philip..you're scaring me.. Please, let me see you."

"N-No! No, I can't I can't..I.."

"What happened?! Did someone hurt you? It was that Azarov bastard wasn't it??"

"Please Nolan, just listen!! I..I messed up.."

Nolan's breath hitched in his throat. What was that supposed to mean..? He didn't have a chance to question it before Philip continued.

"I..really _really_ messed up and...I don't want you to see me like this. I want you to remember me like..like before. And..some selfish part of me just wanted to hear you again..at least one more time."

"O-One more..?" Philip startled as the door began to frantically rattle, pulling with all his might to keep the door shut despite Nolan's banging and tearful cries. "WHAT is going on?! Y-You make it sound like you are DYING Philip!! Just please answer me! Let me see you!! PLEASE!"

Philip's heart was breaking more and more the longer he had to hold onto that door. He wished for nothing more then to have Nolan embrace him..to be swept back into his warm house and pretend as if nothing bad happened at all. But again..reality had other plans. "N-Nolan I..." His voice was barely above a whisper, and the blond had to lean his ear against the door to hear him.

_"..I love you."_

But to Nolan's ears, all he heard was goodbye.

It wasn't until splashing footsteps echoed away from the back porch did Nolan register what had happened, flinging the door open without hesitation and catching just a glimpse of Philip's back disappear over the fence. He was...gone. Utterly and truly gone

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

The Wraith would nestle in further to his mock hideaway as a silent tear traced over his cheek. Why..why did the Entity bring such an innocent soul here? Actually a better question would be, why did he do the things he did? If he had just walked away, if he had just fled and ran away from Azarov's corrupt ways, then he wouldn't be in this mess. He could've had the chance to live a long and happy life with Nolan, like normal people. Live to bear witness and tell his tales. But he wasn't normal..his youth and his home and his..bloody desires were a reminder of that.

And now Nolan was _here_ as a testament of all his regrets..his shame...his heartbreak.

He couldn't understand why someone as kindhearted and open as Nolan would be thrust into a place as devoid of hope as this, but there was no changing it now.

For now, before the next trial would begin, the Wraith would allow himself to feel like a boy again. Curling up and hiding in a dark space, he just wished he could disappear from this world all over again.. And as he made his empty wishes to an unforgiving sky, the Wraith would weep though no one would be able to witness it except for the cruel god that brought him here.


	3. Old Rage [Oni×Hagane]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For reference, any dialogue that is _italicized_ is spoken in a different language, whereas anything in plain text is just spoken in English

A pair of eyes blinked open through the fog, looking around to take in their surroundings.

Claudette recognized this place as none other than the Sanctum of Wrath..the stained grounds belonging to that _monster._

She didn't hesitate to scurry towards the nearest generator. Afterall the sooner she could get out of here with her team, the better. While she worked tirelessly to twist gears and connect wires, her other teammates were soon to join her, those being Jeff and Nea. "Hey so uh..there might a newbie with us this round." Jeff began, his voice low so as not to potentially alert anyone to them. Claudette's eyes shot up in surprise but, Nea was quick to ask her questions first. "Where are they? Did you get a good look at them?" Jeff shrugged as a few more pistons came to life. "Not really..I think it's a girl though. I saw the tail end of her hair right when I came to."

Nea huffed, and since the generator was nearly done Claudette allowed herself to stand and bite anxiously on her thumb as she kept a lookout. "We should really find her soon then.. It's no good to let a new survivor run around, especially with that..th-that brute out there." The others nodded in agreement. Well Jeff nodded, Nea simply huffed but it was enough coming from her. Once the lights kicked on, everyone separated to go finish their tasks, as well as to go find this new survivor before the Oni did.

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

Claudette huffed as she scrambled along, her breaths coming in harder with each step she took. She had taken a hit for Jeff before the Oni could reach him, but now she was just trying to hide for long enough in order to heal herself. It didn't help whatsoever though that the Oni was drawing out her blood for additional strength, fueling his powerful rage further.

The botanist managed to find a good hiding spot behind a broken statue, waiting stock still as the Oni marched on by. Luckily it seemed as if he hadn't seen her, so as she worked on healing herself, she had just applied the last bandage when she heard Nea's scream further away. Without wasting a beat, Claudette scurried ahead to try and help her friend. There was still no sign of that new survivor anywhere but, at least the Oni was off patrolling elsewhere which gave her the chance to hoist Nea down and usher her towards a few tall bamboo stalks to duck behind. Now normally Nea would shrug anyone else off and be on her way, but since the Oni drew his power from wounds, she begrudgingly sat still with nothing more than a grumble.

Unfortunately Claudette was only halfway done by the time she heard that cursed heartbeat thudding in her ears, and Nea seemed to have heard it right when she did. Claudette shoved Nea forward and the two women were on their feet once again. "RUN!!" Despite her injuries, Nea was used to running from bigger authorities and outpaced Claudette easily, leaping over palettes and disappearing into the underbrush like it were second nature. Claudette however risked a glance over her shoulder and true dread paralyzed her.

The Oni curled his fingertips, a drop of Nea's wounded blood floating ominously in his hands. Clenching his fist, he absorbed the dark liquid and his chest heaved, taking in a deep breath and letting out a horrific roar as the eyes of his mask lit up with a fiery red. His rage was active. And Claudette was the perfect target.

She frantically looked around for any other palettes or windows to vault through, but at this point she had nowhere else to go. Whipping around, all she could do was watch as the Oni slowly withdrew his kanabo, pulled it back, and charged ahead towards her with an enraged yell. With all of her hopes dashed, Claudette couldn't stop the waterworks from spilling over and all she could do was crouch down and hold her hands over her head in some foolish attempt to protect herself.

Time would slow in that instance.

As the Oni was mere steps away from beating Claudette into the ground, his club held high above his head, a hulking figure would barrel into his exposed side, sending him tumbling over into the grass. At the harsh thud, Claudette flinched and whimpered but..as the seconds went by, she still felt no pain. Daring to crack her eyes open, she looked up and gasped at the sight before her. Instead of the Oni standing above her, bloodlust in his eyes, there was now a woman in his place.

She was..buffer and much taller than the average woman, easily 6'0 or possibly higher. Her long dark hair was tied back in a high ponytail and her skin must've been tanned by the sun itself. She was decked out in dark muddied boots, military cargo pants, an old tank top, and fighting wraps covering her hands. With a deep heave, she turned to look down at Claudette, her intense gaze making the botanist flush.

"Can you stand?"

"Eh..h-huh?"

"Can. You. Stand?"

Claudette blinked back and quickly nodded, scrambling to her feet. "Hurry and get out of here. I'll be fine." "I..b-but we should _both_ get going!!" "Hey, don't worry. I'll be just fine.." This stranger seemed so sure of herself..there wasn't a trace of fear or doubt in her voice and that certainty was something Claudette hadn't seen in a long while. She didn't have room to argue as both women noticed the Oni slowly began to stand. Claudette gave the woman one last look before darting off into the grass, just leaving the Oni and newest survivor to themselves.

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

The Oni would tremble as he regained his footing, not out of fear or weakness, oh no.. _far_ from it. His body was shaking with an unbridled rage. Who DARED to stand in the way of his cleansing? Who **DARED** to lay a hand on him in this afterlife?! As he whipped around, eyes searching for whoever was the culprit, his gaze settled on a lone woman standing amongst the reeds.

She was new, judging by how he couldn't recognize her face. Instead she stood tall and defiant, shifting her feet into a defensive stance. Only one other survivor had attempted to raise their fists against him, and that King fellow barely lasted a second against his kanabo. What difference could she make, as a _woman_ no less?

The Oni's laugh echoed darkly across the sanctum, taunting her..mocking her. But she didn't budge an inch. With narrowed eyes, the Oni ceased his laughter and sheathed his weapon. She looked ready for a fight and hey, it had been a long time since he actually had anyone challenge him. He didn't expect this to last long, so he figured he may as well teach this woman where her place was.

Readying his own stance, the two stood still in tense silence. Off in the distance, a second generator had burst to life and that acted as the metaphorical starting bell to kick things off. The Oni charged her and swung his fist down, to which she quickly darted aside and landed a kick right into his back. Okay..not what he expected, but certainly nothing to be worried about. Turning quickly, he once again reeled back his fist to swing at her but instead was met with air and a short jab right underneath his chin.

The Oni staggered back with a snarl and rubbed at his mask, staring down at the woman who was now shaking her hand to relieve the soreness before getting back into her stance. He once again eyed her over. Perhaps..she was more than what he assumed her to be. With a low growl thick enough to cut mountains, his voice rang clear despite the limits of teeth and fangs.

"Your name.. Speak it."

The woman blinked. So this thing could talk huh? Narrowing her eyes, she didn't drop her guard, but if this would stall for more time for the others then she would allow it.

"Itō.. Hagane Itō."

The Oni's deep hum reverberated through her bones, as if he was projected into her mind as well, before he spoke once again.

_"You..are Japanese?"_

_"Born elsewhere, but I was raised there."_

The foreboding demon would stand silent before his chest began to shake, and it wasn't until Hagane heard the telltale signs of heaving breath did she realize that he was laughing. _"FINALLY!! Now I understand your pitiful defiance.."_ The Oni stilled his laughter with a final chuckle, drawing out his sword with new vigor. _"My attempts of purification..my boundless strength and will, it is finally being rewarded. As it seems the Entity has given me what I truly desire.."_ Hagane bit back her disgust as she leapt back, the sword thrown into the ground in front of her. _"A worthy challenge."_ Hagane stared at the sword before her incredulously, confusion and uncertainty racing through her nerves as this beast drew out his club once again.

He held his kanabo forward in a daring gesture before settling back into a readying stance. _"Pick up that blade, fog-walker Itō.. Prove to me that you are unlike these sniveling dogs and are truly of noble blood!!"_ Hagane scowled and her eyes darted over the scenery, catching a glimpse of Claudette from earlier sneaking around with Jeff. The bearded man looked at her in awe before Claudette kept tugging him forward, shooting Hagane a shaky yet encouraging smile. Letting out a sigh, Hagane picked up the blade and muttered under her breath. "This is ridiculous..but whatever."

Hagane was trained for combat and self-defense, she didn't know jack about swordfighting or..whatever this is. But with an Oni now charging full-force at you, she wasn't going to complain about it now.

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

Hagane breathed heavily as she stumbled to regain her footing. The sword was becoming heavier in her hands but her grip remained strong. She would never back down, especially not to this..mockery of a man. The Oni on the other hand couldn't have felt more alive. Slaughtering those meek cowards did little to train him, but it was a necessary evil in order to purge these lands. However, despite how necessary it may be, it still did little to actually provide any sort of challenge for him. But THIS..oh this was everything he needed as a warrior. Sure her fighting style was incredibly different to her own and she was starting to show signs of fatigue, she at least had _potential._

The Oni once again raised his club to strike but then blaring alarms stopped him in his tracks. The ground cracked and bled with orange embers and he realized that, amidst their fight the other survivors were able to complete their tasks and open the gate. With a frustrated huff, he sheathed his kanabo while Hagane whipped around with new frustration. That's right..she was still new to all of this. Walking towards her, Hagane focused her attention back to the Oni and raised her blade defensively, but he easily tore it from her hands with the ungodly strength he wielded.

The two stared at each other in tense silence once more, and Hagane had to blink back further confusion as the Oni sheathed his katana as well. Stepping back, he gave her a short bow.

_"Your fighting is unfocused..but promising. I hope to battle with you properly again, fog-walker Itō."_

And with that, he turned and marched off further into the Sanctum, leaving her alone and with only more questions. Unfortunately, she wouldn't be getting those answers as Nea came sprinting out from the dark and got her attention. "HEY!! Newbie c'mon! The exit gate is open any you really don't wanna stick around for what happens in a few minutes!" Definitely agreeing with not wanting to stay here any longer, Hagane quickly followed after her fellow survivor towards the gates, dashing off towards the campfire that would soon become her new home.


	4. Shocking Discoveries [Doctor×Quill]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty folks, this one is gonna be a bit...dialogue heavy LOL
> 
> Just because I mean..it's the Doctor you guys. Such an intelligent mind is gonna have words to say I bet

The bus would slowly come to a stand still right outside cold, iron gates.

A mix of patient and eager footsteps spilled forth from the vehicle as everyone dispersed, and as college students hurried to grab their luggage, one man stood alone to stare out over the scenery. So this..institute was going to be his next lesson huh? What a bore..what could some old, outdated methods teach him that he didn't already know?! Herman Carter, the man in question, turned as his professor called everyone forward, ushering them all inside like lambs doomed for the slaughter.

As Herman walked along the edge of their little crowd, touring the facility and its halls, he found himself tuning it all out. He already knew what a hospital was, he didn't need to be told anything else about it. As he mindlessly followed his fellow classmates, his overactive mind began to wander. If _this_ was the peak of education, then what was he supposed to gain from this? His professor, that old 'bleeding heart' Blanchard, was too limiting in his beliefs. How could one truly test the boundaries of medical science if you allowed something as fragile as ethics hold you back?

Frankly he contemplated if this school was even worth it, but as he and his classmates traversed the 2nd floor, his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden body colliding with him. Papers flew up instantly and a startled squeak hit his ears, and before he realized it, the both of them tumbled to the floor amidst the commotion. He scowled to himself. Oh what an insult, how could someone be so blind as to not see him RIGHT there and-?!

"A-Ah! My apologies, I was so lost in my notes I wasn't looking where I was going!! Are you alright?"

A light voice broke his internal tangent and he looked up, masking his anger with an expression of surprise instead. Before him sat a small body, currently rubbing their head since they must've hit it in the impact. Their skin was healthy(unlike the rest of these employees), they had dirty-blond hair tied halfway up into a bun with the rest hanging loosely, and their olive eyes were frantic as they searched for any sign of anger within Herman. At first he sighed and shook his head. "No no, it's fine, I just-" He then stopped as his eye caught a page of those scattered notes. He couldn't see all of it, but the heading across the top definitely caught his attention.

_Electro Analysis Therapy_

With something that he was so passionate in, Herman's demeanor changed in an instant and he grinned. From behind, the professor cleared his throat however. "Herman, if you're done sitting on the ground we still have a tour to get on with." Oh no, this was something FAR more interesting then some little tour. So, with that grin still on his face, Herman turned and waved a dismissive hand. "Oh you go on without me professor! I think I'll stick around and help collect these papers." Blanchard sighed deeply as he knew Carter to be a particularly stubborn student, so as he turned on his heel, it was soon just Herman and the stranger.

The stranger was first to speak up, clearing their throat as they went back to picking up papers. "Oh you..didn't need to do that, I would hate to ruin your education." Herman chuckled and picked up a few pages as well, quietly scanning over each one before handing them over. "Why it's no trouble at all, darling~! That old man was boring me anyways. I could use the escape!" This made the stranger giggle a bit before finally standing, dusting off their blazer as Herman stood as well. From this angle, he could see that they were wearing a typical nurse's outfit with the exception of pants instead of a skirt. How standard..but he was after something more. "Say, do you mind if I happen to tag along with you? I guarantee you could give me a much better tour than Blanchard ever could~" The subject of Herman's newfound interest hummed at first, seemingly to mull it over, before giving him a smile and nodding. "I don't see why not. I'd be happy to show you around!"

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

So that was how Herman ended up touring the facility with this..Quill figure. Apparently they had only started working here a few months ago, and they were meant for a higher position but unfortunately got stuck as just a nurse who mostly played receptionist. "I didn't mean to talk your ear off Mr.Carter but-" "Ah ah ah~ It's Herman, remember? Mr.Carter was my father." "Oh! R-Right..well Herman it's just been a long time since I've gotten to share this side of my job with anyone frankly."

Quill stopped at a door to some unknown office, opening a slot in the wall and promptly dumped all of the papers into it. Herman mentally cursed since he wanted to read into them more, but he could always pry his answers out of Quill nonetheless. "Oh don't you worry about it. It's really no problem to me at all! Though..if you don't mind me asking darling, why do you think they put you in such a position? You must forgive me but, I _did_ happen to sneak a glance at your notes and..well, the subject matter was quite intriguing!" The little nurse cleared their throat as they reached a finger up to their hair, twirling the looser ends that framed their face nervously. "Ah..I shouldn't say. I should be very lucky to be in the position I am now and..I'm sure I'll be promoted at some point."

Herman nodded along, however he didn't want this conversation to end. He just NEEDED to understand what they knew about the effects of electricity for his own purposes. So, with a tilt of his head, the good doctor gestured towards the stairs. "Then perhaps we could discuss more over lunch? I would personally love to hear more about what that big brain of yours is hiding~" Quill was oblivious to the double meaning in his words and flushed under his attention, but nodded nonetheless. "A-Ah..well sure!! As long as you don't mind more of my rambling."

The two would continue to avoid the school group as Quill headed off for their lunch break early, leading Herman towards the cafeteria and settling them both down at a booth. Perfectly tucked away from prying ears, Herman thought. So, now with lunch between them and no places to hurry to, Herman rested his elbows on the table, his chin settling on top of his intertwined fingers. "Now then..I understand we haven't known each other long, but you and I are quite alike, dear Quill." As the messy blond stuck a fork into their salad, they looked up curiously. "Oh? And how do you think that, doctor?" "Why, you and I are after the same thing! The effects of electrical stimulation on the human psyche..~"

Quill was once again left oblivious to Herman's true intentions, instead believing that his interest was one of science and not morbid fascination. "I..Wait, you're studying that as well?" "Yes!! I'll admit, I don't exactly have the tools accessible to me in a school environment but you..you DO. Consider this a..learning experience! I want to see what kind of things you've learned here during your time in this institute. Perhaps it may inspire some studies of my own!" At first, Quill had appeared elated upon finding out someone else shared such a specific interest, but upon hearing that last part, their excitement slowly deflated. "That.. _would_ true discovery, is all right there." The doctor lifted his hand and tapped on Quill's forehead for emphasis, offering them a smile..a genuine one for once. Quill giggled softly at the gesture, which only served to make Herman's face heat up more. What the hell was wrong with him? Was he sick??

"I..suppose you're right. A few old papers can't stop the theories from coming." Their eyes seemed to brighten up as they smiled to Herman, pleased to have seemingly found a new like-minded companion. "Maybe you can share some of your own theories as well! I feel as if I've been painfully overtaking the conversation honestly." The doctor chuckled in turn and shrugged from his leaned over position. "Oh it's no bother to me, darling. I enjoy learning about others, though I suppose I wouldn't have gotten into this line of work if I wasn't, hm?" Quill giggled in amusement and nodded. "Definitely! But first, we may want to sit up again. Wouldn't want to catch any odd stares.."

"Oh but don't you think the secret nature of it is fun~? Besides, you wouldn't see their stares anyway."

"True, but my neck is also cramping up a bit."

"Hm, a fair observation.. Alright!"

Both of them sat up properly finally and, as Quill rolled their neck, Herman couldn't place why but..he didn't really want their little moment together to end. That was just..purely from an observational standpoint right?

#### ⊱⋅ ──────────── ⋅⊰

All too soon lunch would end and Quill had to guide Herman back towards the main entrance so he could return to his class. The rest of their time had been spent theorizing different mechanics and methods but, it wasn't enough.. It would never be enough to satiate the likes of Herman Carter. As everyone piled on, Quill would stand back and wait alongside Herman until it was his turn. "Well..I'll admit, I'm glad I wasn't paying attention earlier today." Herman looked down at them and hid a laugh under his breath, reaching a hand up to tuck Quill's looser strands behind their ear. "And I as well, darling~ I learned more from you in just a few short hours, then I did in the years I've spent studying!"

Quill's cheeks flushed at the contact, as well as the compliment, shuffling their feet in place to relieve their nerves. "A-Ah..you're just flattering me. But I would be more than happy to..discuss more with you anytime." Herman now had his chance, and with a practiced smile, he tilted his head playfully. "Oh really? Then..how about Friday, 6 pm sharp?" Quill's eyes widened and their face instantly became redder, flustering to respond. The doctor found such reactions adorable..from a PURELY medical stance of course. "Well you said anytime right?" "I-I..yes but...I work Friday..so..how about Saturday?"

Herman's grin grew wider and he nodded, slowly stepping away as the bus honked for him in the distance. "Alright! Then our little appointment is settled~ Let's meet up at..say, Silver Dining then." Once more Quill would stumble over their words. "S-Silver Dining?! But you would need to reserve to eat there at least 3 months in advance!!" "Not for a pair of well-educated doctors, you don't~" If Quill's face could become any redder, it certainly would, and Herman would chuckle as he turned on his heel. "I'll see you at our next appointment then, darling~!"

All Quill could do was stand there awestruck, waving automatically as the bus pulled away and began driving the students off the property. Now with a moment to themselves, Quill slowly felt a smile blossom on their features as they restrained themselves from jumping around like some kind of excited toddler. Not only were they given a chance to discuss their studies and theories with such an educated mind, but it would be over a date!! As Quill turned to return inside Lèry's Memorial Institute, their thoughts were only filled with the imagery of that charming doctor, Herman Carter.


End file.
